Electric multi-position switch

ABSTRACT

A multi-position electric switch device adapted to be associated in particular with a vehicle anti-theft device and having at least four positions, respectively STOP, ACCESSORIES, RUN, STARTER, comprising an interconnecting rotor and stationary conducting contact elements carried by an insulating stator and connected respectively to the various circuits to be connected or to be disconnected, wherein the improvement consists in that the said rotor is provided with a single conducting plate having two tongues of unequal lengths in the arrangement adapted to come into direct contact with the said stationary contact elements.

United States Patent [191 Lipschutz June 25, 1974 [541 ELECTRIC MULTI-POSITION SWITCH 3,515,832 6/1970 Martin 200/44 X [75] Inventor: Paul Lipschutz, Croissy S/Seine,

France Primary ExammerHerman l-lohauser Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Albert C. Nolte, Jr.; Ed- [73] Assigneez SocIete d Exploitation des Brevets Ward 3 Hunter; Charles Hamburg Nleman, Neullly, France [22] Filed: Jan. 22, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT I [2]] Appl 325266 A multi-position electric switch device adapted to be associated in particular with a vehicle anti-theft device [30] Foreign Application Priority Data and having at least four positions, respectively STOP, Mar. 29, 1972 France 72.10948 ACCESSORIES STARTER comprising terconnecting rotor and stationary conducting contact [52] US. Cl. 200/44 elements carried by an insulating Stator and connected [51] Int. Cl. H0lh 27/00 respectively to the various circuits to be connected or [58] Field of Search 200/42 R 44 H R 11 A to be disconnected, wherein the improvement consists zoo G 11 H H J 11 k L, in that the said rotor is provided with a single conducting plate having two tongues of unequal lengths in the 56] References Cited arrangement adapted to come into direct contact with UNITED STATES PATENTS the said stationary contact elements.

2,763,753 9/1956 Hasselbaum 200/44 X 10 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures 50 1 a 4 3 i d ELECTRIC MULTl-POSITION SWITCH The present invention relates to an electric multiposition rotary switch which may be associated with an electrical or mechanical anti-theft device intended to prevent unauthorized use of a vehicle.

Sliding contact switches are known wherein a movable conducting plate, having a selected shape, electrically interconnects suitably distributed stationary contact elements, each of which corresponds to a wire pertaining to one of the electric circuits to be connected or disconnected, depending upon the position of the blade with respect to the said stationary contact elements.

Special switches are also known, pertaining to the same category as the preceeding one and wherein the movable part or parts generate, when rotating, a plane surface, the points of contact between the stationary contact elements and the movable part remaining, for each stationary element, in a plane (or in an area close to this plane) perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

On the other hand, switches are known in which the contacts take place on a cylindrical area, the axis of which is the axis of rotation. Such switches have been described, in particular, by the Applicant, for instance in French Patent Nos. 1,589,453 and 7l/l0,308.

Lastly, there exists switches in which the electric current flows through balls or rollers which are pushed or driven between the stationary and movable wires to be connected (e.g. those described by the Applicant in certificates of addition Nos. 87,657 and 88,987 to the main French Patent No. 1,340,826). r

In all these types of apparatus, the movable and stationary contacts are achieved by the pressure due to a resilient device which pushes each of them towards the associated pole and to the desired position: reliability of the resilient device is one of the criteria of quality; other factors, such as voltage drop at contact, selfcleaning, easy operation, also are of prime importance.

ln this respect, the known apparatus include notable improvements capable of withstanding quite a considerable number (hundreds of thousands) of repeated operations.

As a result of a very long experience in the matter, the Applicant has designed and constructed a type of switch which is rugged and greatly improved from the point of view of the above-mentioned criteria, without the use of special and costly contact pellets being necessary and without the final manufacturing cost being increased, thus favouring extensive use of the said switch.

The invention is characterized by a rational arrangement of the constituent members of the switch. the use of a resilient means through which the current does not flow and the wear of which is taken up automatically, as well as progressive mechanical tension of the members brought into contact.

The device may also be characterized by the existence of a single rotary contact brush, without a path which is complicated in development, and by the combined movements of rotation and translation to which this brush is subjected, these features ensuring both excellent passage of current and self-cleaning of the contact surfaces.

Other features will appear from the following description which is given as a non-limitative example of all the forms of embodiment falling within the scope of the invention.

The device described hereinafter is used as a switch for connecting to or disconnecting from the power source of the vehicle the circuit of the accessories, of the ignition coil and of the starter control, and also in relation with the rotation of an anti-theft arrangement provided with mechanical control and safety and including also at least four stabilizable positions, namely: STOP, ACCESSORIES, RUN, STARTER (with, however, automatic return from the latter position to the preceeding one) and also, if required, a PARKING position.

The invention will be better understood from the following description which is illustrated by the appended diagrammatic drawings given solely by way of example and in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the whole switch;

FIG. 2 is an elevational sectional view of the switch to a larger scale;

FIG. 3 is a plane view of the same switch from below;

FIG. 4 is a plane and sectional view from below of the stator carrying the insulating base provided with contact elements andwith deviating ramps (rotor removed);

FIG. 5 is a plane view, from above, of the single contact plate (rotor) with its insulating drive support;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the insulating base intended to receive the pressed, moulded or stamped stationary contact elements in the shape of terminals, and carrying the deviating ramps;

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show respectively the sections of the stationary contact elements coming into contact with the arms of the rotor plate along their path.

In these Figures and more particularly in these FIGS. 1 and 2, the member 1 is the stator or the base made of insulating material and receiving the stationary contacts 3 to 6 appearing clearly in the plane views of FIGS. 3 and 4.

In particular, the reference number 3 designates the contact element connected to the positive terminal inserted at the centre of the stator and bent into an appropriate shape.

The wires ending at the lower portion of the stator are surrounded by the lips 3a for instance for the terminal 3, the folded portion of which, obtained for instance by stamping with or without previous conformation of the wire, ensures both a perfect electric contact and a strong maintaining in position.

Such an operation may be perfomied before mounting the stator I in the box 7 which is made from a resilient and mechanically resistant insulating material, preferably from nylon.

The box 7 having been secured by means of inaccessible screws (not shown) for instance to the body of an anti-theft device, receives the insulating rotor 2 provided with its single conducting plate 9, the arms 9a and 9b of which having an incurved shape in crosssection (see FIG. 9) with a plane central region, have raised edges facilitating the contact with the stationary contact elements or with the stationary paths. The plate 9 is of course guided by a recess in the rotor which drives it (in this case, by a cross-shaped imprint 2b), receiving the drive end of the rotor of the anti-theft device or, at least, the end of a key or of an actuating button (FIG. 1).

The plate 9 is pushed by a spring of special steel resting, at one end, on the plate 9 itself by bearing substantially upon the push centre of the latter.

The box 7 is provided with two or three hooked tongues (such as 7a, 7b, 70) which are slightly flexible owing to their shape and to the material selected; the said tongues with their hooks are fitted into corresponding recesses of the stator 1 and of the cover 8 (see FIGS. 2, 3 and 4), so as to form'a compact assembly, against the resilient reaction of the spring 10 which ensures the pressing of the plate against the paths la, lb, 1L, ld carried by the stator 1.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, these ramps present, in the plane of rotation of the two arms 9a and 9b of plate 9, a well-determined radial and circular distribution depending upon the kinematic and electric conditions imposed by the function of the switch, for instance defined by the one having four positions.

The outer insulating path la presents (as shown in FIG. 8) an ingoing ramp and ends also with an outgoing slope, the purpose of the slope and ramp being to facilitate the entry and exit of the end of arm 9b of plate 9 so as to deviate it progressively from the upper level of the ends of stationary contact elements 3 to 6 which protrude at the most by l millimeter from the upper and lower faces of the stator l in which they are fitted.

Likewise, the path lb which also is an outer path like the path la, and the outline of which is in the shape of a roof which (see FIGS. 8 and 9) is intended to open the contact, during the rotation of arm 9b of plate 9, with the contact elements 50 and 6 which are located respectively before and after this roof-shaped ramp, in the dextrogyre direction of rotation.

The STARTER" element 6 has its contact surface doubled by bending the conducting strip by 180 over itself.

The paths lb and lc are nearer to the centre of the rotor, so that the shorter arm 9a of the plate 9 rests directly upon these paths so as to be deviated notably from the contact elements ACCESSORIES 4 and COIL" 5b.

FIG. 8 shows that the contact elements ACCESSO- RIES" are in intermediate situations between the paths lb and 10, on the one hand, la and Id on the other hand, all of these paths, one after the other presenting mating hollows opposite these contact elements.

The operation of the device results from the relative positions and from the assembly obtained with the various members which are:

the stator 1, its paths, la, lb, 1c, 1d and its conducting contact elements 3, 4, 5a, 5b, 6;

the rotor 2 solid with the drive by button or by lock or by the connecting cross 2b;

the box 7 which maintains the terminals or contact elements in the stator and serves to protect the fitted-in portion of the connecting wires;

the cover 8 which maintains the whole assembly by means of the resilient hookings 7a, 7b, 7c.

In'the position STOP, the plate 9 bears upon the contact element 3 connected to the positive terminal and maintained separated from the contact (at a distance of about I millimeter) owing to the arm 9b of the plate on a path or boss 1 a of the stator.

In the position ACCESSORIES, the plate 9 still bears upon the central contact element 3, its arm bearing upon the ACCESSORIES contact element 5b, whereas the arm 4b is maintained separated by the coil contact element 4 by the boss la.

In the position PARKING," the plate 9 still bears upon the contact element 3. It is still maintained separated from the contact elements by the passage of the arm 90 on the boss 1c of the stator and by the passage of the arm 9b on the boss la of the stator.

In the position RUN, the contact plate 9 still bears upon the contact element 3, the arm 9a being on the contact element coil 4 and the arm 9b being on the contact element 5a in the position ACCESSORIES.

Lastly, in the position STARTER" the contact plate 9, still bearing upon the contact element 3, has its arm 9a on the contact element 4 and its arm 9b on the contact element starter" 6.

For a better understanding of the foregoing, it should be remembered that, in FIG. 4, the contact elements and the paths or bosses are seen from above, the rotor 2 and the box 7 being removed, whereas in FIG. 5, the rotor, i.e. the plate 9 and its insulating support 2, are seen from below.

The ramps shown on the paths la, lb, 1c, 1d fulfil four functions:

a. they ensure progressive linear displacement of the plate 9 in parallel relationship to the axis;

b. they render the operation of rotation easier;

c. they ensure a self-cleaning" removing the fouling fromthe various contact elements and from the plate 9 by scraping them;

d. they avoid the possibility of an incompletely established position of electric contact in case of insufficient angular rotation.

Contrary to what occurs when the conducting blades are pushed against the contact elements by bosses or by pistons having a too small surface, the working areas of the paths or bosses of the switch forming the subject matter of the invention are much more extensive: with an insulating material which is equivalent as regards creep or specific wear, they will therefore have a longer life that the small pistons mentioned above.

It should be noted, and this is very important, that the stationary and movable conducting portions bought into contact by the ramps and bosses, have themselves no flexibility, which is often greatly altered by the passage of current and by the heating resulting therefrom.

In the switch forming the subject matter of the invention, no current flows through the single spring used and the latter may have large dimensions while at the same time retaining great flexibility, the efiects of which are judiciously distributed by the barymetric effeet.

The presence of the deviating paths and their ramps permits of marking in a perceptible manner the various main and intermediate positions (such as the positions ACCESSORIES and PARKING) of the rotor, thus avoiding the use of balls, holed plates or notches.

In addition, since this marking of the positions is obtained directly by means' of the ramps separating the contact elements, any possible angular dispersion is thus avoided between these markings and the electrically established positions of contact.

The desired electrical and mechanical functions are thus quite well separated in this new switch, in particular:

rational conductivity of all the members, rigid by themselves;

contacts with low voltage drop;

self-cleaning of contacts;

direct fitting-in or nipping, without welding, of the incoming and outgoing current conductors on the contact elements;

positive and playless drive of the rotor by its insulating support and direct drive of the latter by a tested system with very small tolerances;

progressive drive efiort allowing all the force exerted by the vertical stress of the plate on the contact elements to subsist;

kinematic spacing (capable, owing to its circular distribution, of being performed with accuracy) of the various actuations and positions, the perceptible marking of which is easy without being too pronounced.

On the whole, the manufacture of such a switch, owing to:

the doing away with metals and alloys having high conductivity (but of course very expensive);

the doing away with welds;

the use of stamped or pressed stationary contact elements and plate;

rapid assembling of the various parts, ensures an improved industrial result and reduced cost, while at the same time enabling highly advantageous performances to be ensured by selecting the shape of the members, by their interactions and by the distribution of the functions.

Of course, the invention is by no means limited to the form of embodiment described and illustrated, which has been given by way of example only. In particular, it comprises all the means constituting technical equivalents to the means described as well as their combinations, should the latter be carried out according to the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A multi-position electric switch device adapted to be associated in particular with a vehicle anti-theft device and having at least four positions, respectively STOP, ACCESSORIES, RUN, STARTER, comprising an interconnecting rotor and insulating stator, stationary conducting contact elements carried by said insulating stator and connected respectively to the various circuits to be connected or to be disconnected, a single conducting plate having contact areas provided with raised lateral edges separated by a substantially plane intermediate contact region, means for fixedly securing said conducting plate to said rotor and spring means axially disposed between said conducting plate and said rotor for applying said conducting plate against said stationary conducting contact elements carried by said stator, wherein the improvement consists in that said conducting plate is provided with two tongues of unequal lengths having similar cross-sections and forming said contact areas, and in that the face of said stator comprising said stationary contact elements is provided with insulating bosses protruding over the level of said contact elements and being situated in the circular contact path of said long tongue and in the circular contact path of said short tongue to raise them when coming into bearing contact with them.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said single contacting plate is permanently connected with an electric supply stationary contact element and is placed under the bearing action of said spring.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said protruding bosses are insulating bosses solid with the stator carrying the said stationary contact elements.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting of the said plate of the said rotor is made in a member of moulded insulating material provided on its internal face with a hollow imprint corresponding to the external shape of the said plate, the said member being provided on its opposite face with a cross-shaped imprint for positively driving the said rotor.

5. A device according to claim 2, wherein the said stationary contact elements are inserted in an insulating base forming part of the said stator, each of the said stationary contact elements forming a single block pro vided with outlet claws in which is clamped the corresponding wire connected to the external circuits, which block passes through the said insulating base, which is carried by an insulating closing cover assembled to a box by hooking laminae solid with the latter, the said plate being pressed against the said base by the said spring interposed between the said plate and the said insulating rotor which is rotatably mounted in the said box.

6. A device according to claim 3, wherein the said protruding bosses have a circular arcuate shape and a free height exceeding that of the said stationary contact elements, the effective outline profiles of the said bosses being arranged according to the specific diagram of the connections to be performed, the said single spring acting upon the barycentre of the said plate while being placed between the latter and a recess of the said insulating rotor so as to ensure a uniform distribution of the contact stresses.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein on each said boss are provided ramps with various slopes ensuring a progressive engagement of the said interconnecting plate on the level portions, some of the oppositely placed bosses being provided with opposite inclination ramps, in particular opposite to the aforesaid position called Accessories and some others in the shape of a roof pertaining to a single boss with a profile ensuring rapid coming into or out of contact of a tongue of the said plate with the stationary contact element corresponding to the position Starter, the said contact element having an increased contact section and the said plate being subjected in this position, jointly with the whole of the said rotor, to the action of a torsion spring which ensures automatic return of the said rotor from the position Starter to the position Run."

8. A device according to claim 5, wherein the said insulating cover forms and protects the outlet for the connecting wires and receives the said stator provided with recesses enabling the said stator to be assembled to the said cover through interlocking.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the said insulating box containing the said stator and the said rotor with its bearing spring is provided, at its periphery, with at least two resilient claws forming the aforesaid laminae, the hooks of which are forced into complementary imprints of the said cover by exerting an axial pressure against the reaction of the said spring.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the said box is provided with sunk screws for securing the said device to the member carrying the shaft driving the said rotor, the said screws being accessible only from the interior of the said box after extracting the said cover from the said resilient claws of the said box and thereafter removing the said rotor with its said plate. 

1. A multi-position electric switch device adapted to be associated in particular with a vehicle anti-theft device and having at least four positions, respectively STOP, ACCESSORIES, RUN, STARTER, comprising an interconnecting rotor and insulating stator, stationary conducting contact elements carried by said insulating stator and connected respectively to the various circuits to be connected or to be disconnected, a single conducting plate having contact areas provided with raised lateral edges separated by a substantially plane intermediate contact region, means for fixedly securing said conducting plate to said rotor and spring means axially disposed between said conducting plate and said rotor for applying said conducting plate against said stationary conducting contact elements carried by said stator, wherein the improvement consists in that said conducting plate is provided with two tongues of unequal lengths having similar cross-sections and forming said contact areas, and in that the face of said stator comprising said stationary contact elements is provided with insulating bosses protruding over the level of said contact elements and being situated in the circular contact path of said long tongue and in the circular contact path of said short tongue to raise them when coming into bearing contact with them.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said single contacting plate is permanently connected with an electric supply stationary contact element and is placed under the bearing action of said spring.
 3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said protruding bosses are insulating bosses solid with the stator carrying the said stationary contact elements.
 4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting of the said plate of the said rotor is made in a member of moulded insulating material provided on its internal face with a hollow imprint corresponding to the external shape of the said plate, the said member being provided on its opposite face with a cross-shaped imprint for positively driving the said rotor.
 5. A device according to claim 2, wherein the said stationary contact elements are inserted in an insulating base forming part of the said stator, each of the said stationary contact elements forming a single block provided with outlet claws in which is clamped the corresponding wire connected to the external circuits, which block passes through the said insulating base, which is carried by an insulating closing cover assembled to a box by hooking laminae solid with the latter, the said plate being pressed against the said base by the said spring interposed between the said plate and the said insulating rotor which is rotatably mounted in the said box.
 6. A device according to claim 3, wherein the said protruding bosses have a circular arcuate shape and a free height exceeding that of the said stationary contact elements, the effective outline profiles of the said bosses being arranged according to the specific diagram of the connections to be performed, the said single spring acting upon the barycentre of the said plate while being placed between the latter and a recess of the said insulating rotor so as to ensure a uniform distribution of the contact stresses.
 7. A device according to claim 6, wherein on each said boss are provided ramps with various slopes ensuring a progressive engagement of the said interconnecting plate on the level portions, some of the oppositely placed bosses being provided with opposite inclination ramps, in particular opposite to the aforesaid position called ''''Accessories'''' and some others in the shape of a roof pertaining to a single boss with a profile ensuring rapid coming into or out of contact Of a tongue of the said plate with the stationary contact element corresponding to the position ''''Starter,'''' the said contact element having an increased contact section and the said plate being subjected in this position, jointly with the whole of the said rotor, to the action of a torsion spring which ensures automatic return of the said rotor from the position ''''Starter'''' to the position ''''Run.''''
 8. A device according to claim 5, wherein the said insulating cover forms and protects the outlet for the connecting wires and receives the said stator provided with recesses enabling the said stator to be assembled to the said cover through interlocking.
 9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the said insulating box containing the said stator and the said rotor with its bearing spring is provided, at its periphery, with at least two resilient claws forming the aforesaid laminae, the hooks of which are forced into complementary imprints of the said cover by exerting an axial pressure against the reaction of the said spring.
 10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the said box is provided with sunk screws for securing the said device to the member carrying the shaft driving the said rotor, the said screws being accessible only from the interior of the said box after extracting the said cover from the said resilient claws of the said box and thereafter removing the said rotor with its said plate. 